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Savanna Knudson sentenced for leaving toddler in freezing car

Savanna Dawn Knudson, 21, Minot, was sentenced on Wednesday to two years in prison, all suspended but the 30 days she has already served, for leaving her toddler alone in a freezing car in the parking lot of a Minot grocery store for about 15 minutes on Feb. 5.

Knudson has been admitted to Drug Court, according to her lawyer, and has already completed a chemical dependency evaluation and a day treatment program.

She will be on supervised probation for three years through the Drug Court program.

Judge Todd Cresap also ordered Knudson to complete a parenting class and to pay $1,100 in court costs.

According to court documents, Knudson and her boyfriend, Chase Reuben Rath, 24, went into the grocery store while they were intoxicated and walked around eating food without paying. They had left their child in the car, which was not running. It was seven degrees below zero at the time of the incident, with a windchill of about 20 degrees below zero.

Rath has been charged with Class C felony child neglect, Class A misdemeanor DUI, and Class A misdemeanor making a false report to law enforcement in connection with the same incident.

A pretrial conference for Rath is scheduled for June 26.

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